Just in time to give thanks to some hip-hop legends... Mick Boogie and Terry Urban present: LE DA SOUL: 20 years of De La Soul!

Inspired by 20 years of greatness from hip-hop's most consistent group (and our personal favorite), De La Soul, this project unites the cream of the crop in hiphop... including old school legends (Phife, Camp Lo and Skillz), current hitmakers (Talib Kweli and Kardinal Offishall) and future stars (U-N-I, Tanya Morgan and Tabi Bonney) to remake their favorite De La classics.

Originally stemming from Mick Boogie's popular VH1 Honor Roll mixtape last year, we worked with our favorite artists and producers to create an astounding 20 remakes! One for every year of De La history!

This project was sponsored by clothing company Lemar and Dauley, makers of the now infamous Le Da Soul teeshirt.

Mick, Terry and The Press Play Show would like to thank and salute Pos, Dave and Mase for 20 years of making history!

Local political observers say that Mr. Fenty's style and approach to governance, and his priorities on cultural issues, play less well with black residents, who traditionally see city government as helping them and view Mr. Fenty as a failure on those grounds.

"I think black people look at government as the entity that intervenes on behalf of those who have frequently been disadvantaged," said Howard University associate professor Greg Carr, who chairs the school's Afro-American Studies department. "To them, [Mr. Fenty] represents the elites, those who already have power."

In the most recent poll of 501 D.C. voters, conducted by Clarus Research Group this month, only 22 percent of black respondents said they want Mr. Fenty re-elected, and 71 percent said they would want someone else. Among whites, 51 percent said they would support Mr. Fenty for a second term, while 32 percent would not.

A September poll of 500 voters, conducted by SurveyUSA for WJLA-TV (Channel 7), also showed a pronounced split between black and white voters, with 69 percent of black voters disapproving of Mr. Fenty, compared with just 24 percent of white voters.

Some longtime D.C. residents contrast Mr. Fenty's style of governing to that former Mayor Marion Barry, who served four terms as mayor and is in his secondterm as a council member despite a past that included jail time.

Mr. Barry, now the Ward 8 D.C. Council member, is credited with opening stable, government jobs to black residents while maintaining his appeal to whites. He also created the city's Summer Youth Employment Program, for which its mostly black alumni frequently thank Mr. Barry when he's in public.

Civil rights activist and D.C. resident Lawrence Guyot criticized Mr. Fenty's approach to certain social issues, saying he has taken a "post-racial" approach and cut "racial preference" out of policy decisions, which has worked to Mr. Fenty's detriment.

"He has taken on a number of issues that are dear to black people and acted as though he was unaware of the history. If he was aware of it, he completely disregarded it," Mr. Guyot said.

He offered Mr. Fenty's approach to the same-sex marriage debate as an example, saying the mayor did not try to persuade black churches on the issue, instead saying simply that he would sign the bill. Black churches and their congregations generally oppose same-sex marriage and are particularly offended by the comparisons that the unions' backers such as Mr. Fenty make to the civil rights movement.

With a pen and pad in one hand, and a microphone in the other, Morgan has undoubtedly prepared herself for the next step in her journey. Cradling a keen sense of self, an unnaturally gritty approach and bare-bones delivery, Morgan is most certainly NOT your average chick...no matter how unhumble that sounds. By far one of the most humble people you will ever meet, Morgan is a 24 year old female hip hop artist from Washington, DC. A self-proclaimed "lyrical poet," Morgan looks towards the infamous greats for inspiration, but does not rely on their sound to create her own.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Here's a interesting write up on one of the BIGGEST sites in the WORLD! I thought I would share it with the DMV!

The Wale Situation

Prologue: I have an enormous amount of respect for those who claim the DMV as their home. I realize that certain aspects of this article may inspire the hords of the DC faithful to try to hang me with a noose of SB laces but trust and believe that I only write what I feel and my opinion really means nothing at the end of the day. DMV folks, I still love you.

So let’s put this out there right off of the bat ok? I was never a big Wale guy. I have some friends who would rather listen to Benzino freestyle for three hours than download a Wale song, and I have some friends who swear up and down that Wale is the truth.

Despite not being a big fan, I’ve been well aware of this fellow’s track record over the past two years as he was being heralded as the MC that would put the DMV on the map. Fast-forward now to November 10th, 2009 and Wale is putting out his first major label debut Attention Deficit. An album that I could not escape like Snuggie commercials on late night TV. This body of music has not only been hyped from here to the mother land and back again, but it has received the biggest promotional push I’ve seen in years for any artist’s first album.

With those being the facts, I figure what the hell. Let me uphold my duty as a law breaking citizen of the 21st century and download this album and give it a fair chance. I would give the guy who’s name no-one-could-pronounce-at-first a shot at proving that he lived up to the hype I had endured hearing for the past two months. Well, what follows is my reaction. And in case you’e somewhat sesitive, I’ll warn you now that I’m not rushing out to purchase any “Nike boots” in which to do a W.A.L.E. D.A.N.C.E.

My very first impression? They really, really, really tried to sell this album. Take a look at the roll call of artists present on nine out of fourteen total tracks. Literally everyone from arguable legends like Pharrell and Bun B to heavy radio hitters like Gucci and Rihanna. (That’s not to mention fellow up and comers Chrisette Michelle, J.Cole or Marsha Ambrose.) They jam packed this disc with more collaborations than Nike SB had in 2007 and yet somehow I’m not convinced.

Follow me on this one. If Wale is the man who is going to not only put the DMV on the map, but also be one of the biggest forces in helping to usher in a new school of rappers…you’d think he would absolutely impress me on at least a few songs on his album right? I mean with some sort of lyrical mastery that would absolutely shatter my ear drums and lead me to hug the nearest dollar bills and coints next to me because they are as close to Washington D.C. as I can get right?

Where was that on the album? Since the very first day that I hear a Wale track, probably somewhere around two years ago. I have never been blown away by his skills on the microphone. There is something lacking to me, maybe it’s his voice, maybe it’s that he was so closely tied to a sneaker culture I was exiting at the time he came out or maybe it’s just plain and simple the fact that as a rapper he is just good at best.

Take a serious look at it. When I think of the other up and coming rappers in the game-I’m talking about a Drake, J.Cole, Pac Div, Blu, hell even throw Cudi in there. They have all at least once succeeded in make me stop, nod my head and go, “Damn, yeah he deserves the hype. That was ridiculous.”

I am not getting this from Wale.

The album has production of epic proportions. “Let It Loose” had the potential to be so over played that it would be annoying despite the genius hook from Razor Scooter/Skateboard/Roller Blade P or whatever we’re calling Pharrell today. But as soon as Wale got into his first verse… I literally tuned the song out. As soon as the hook came back? I was back into it, but Wale succeeded once again in losing me over the course of his verses.

There’s some light on the album. Prescription has some amazing production and some verses from Wale that are highly listen-to-able but again not stunning. The man has talent and I respect the degree to which he’s promoted himself and succeeded to date but to all my brethren out there calling out his name in adulation. Is this really the savior of the DMV? The fore bearer of the new movement? He’s cool guys I suppose but I don’t feel like this is the best out there. I think there needs to be some competition, maybe from the DMV, maybe from somewhere else but this can’t really be it?

From the amount of hype so many of you guys gave him, the absurd supporting cast assembled around Wale to make the album a success and the largely genius production throughout Wale still failed to make me a believer.

No par intended for those who are a fan of the man, all the more power to you. I even took it easy on him in this article. There’s a lot of things that could have been brought to light here but I feel like it’s counter productive to really shape any one’s thoughts who may be reading this and accepting it as truth without listening for themselves.

The essential problem is this.

I just feel as though maybe Wale was raised onto a platform to be a savior and star and perhaps maybe we all moved a little fast in choosing him to be the artist standing on that platform. Hell, I’m not even sure Wale wants to be on that platform.

At some point I think there needed to be a step back and analyzing of this man’s skill and ability to ‘wow’ on a track before we all cosigned his proclamation as rap’s “prescription” in his own words. That goes for everyone from the DMV to L.A. and in between. Best of luck to the artist on future releases. I’ll be listening, and should he inspire, paying for the music as well.

This very special project features contributions from the DMV’sfinest, including: Kev Brown, J-$crilla, Kokayi, DJ Eurok andDrew_Kid, E-Minah, Krayola, Enoch 7th Prophet, Laelo Hood, Head Roc,Pure Fiya, Nazz, Nicole Rumeau, Jack Danger, and (last but not least)me, Spirit Equality (cheese)*. It’s a DMV family affair and we’vegiving it to the world as a special “thank you” to everyone who hassupported The Package and the New Golden Era movement so far! We loveall of y’all! Extra special love to everyone who contributed to eachsong on the project. Some of the tracks are remixes from originalsfeatured on the “New Golden Era” album (still on iTunes *smile*),while the rarities are either exclusives from upcoming solo recordsfrom Dimes and Grizz that you will hear in radically different form onthose respective projects (e.g. Miss Yum Yum) or songs you never wouldhave heard otherwise in any form (e.g. Dimes 10.0). Theory mixed theentire project to perfection.

This is a cut from Baltimore's own Rickie Jacobs. If you're not familiar well this is the time to check out this rising artist. This kid goes in on this Ye beat! If you don't take a chance on this one then you will be appalled in the future! Rickie has reported that he is working on his first official project "Air Jacobs" which is slated to drop sometime next year. Stay tuned because this is a process worth watching.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

To say that Michelle Rhee and Kevin Johnson rolled out their relationship carefully is an understatement. Last winter, the D.C. schools chief declined to say whether she and the mayor of Sacramento -- a longtime friend and close political ally -- were dating.

Not even after we saw them holding hands during the inauguration! ("I don't comment on my personal life," she said at the time.)

But seems as though they're officially a couple now. In fact, she confirmed for us, they're engaged.

Rhee, 39, spoke Wednesday night at a Democrats for Education Reform/DC School Reform Now event downtown, and a pretty sparkly thing on her left hand caught the eye of more than one audience member. Seems fitting, since this is a relationship we've largely followed via sightings of the two at various policy-wonk confabs.

They seem to have bonded over education reform. Johnson, 43, is a former NBA star who transitioned into politics as the founder of a charter school -- Rhee served on its board -- before winning his first race last year to become mayor of his home town. Rhee also served on his transition team.

When she was tapped by Mayor Adrian Fenty in 2007 to become schools chancellor, Johnson testified at her confirmation hearing. (Rhee left the board of his St. Hope Academy after starting her job here.)

What next? It's the obvious question for any bicoastal power couple, especially with both careers so closely tied to separate cities. Rhee, who is divorced with two kids, has had a tumultuous couple of months, at odds with D.C. Council members and teachers over her budget cuts and firing of nearly 400 staffers. The never-married Johnson, meanwhile, is still in the first year as mayor and dealing with the drip-drip-drip of one of those annoying municipal scandals (a city employee who allegedly handed out illegal permits to developers).

But Rhee told us she's not leaving D.C. They plan on a long engagement -- no wedding date set, and none envisioned in the near term -- and will keep this a commuter relationship for a while.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

After several push backs, Attention: Deficit—the debut CD from XXL Freshman alum Wale—finally hit stores last Tuesday (November 10). Seven days later his first-week stats are in, and unfortunately the CD failed to top any of the big dawgs from their top spots onThe Billboard 200 sales charts.

According to the Nielsen SoundScan, the disc landed at the no. 21 spot, with 28,100 units sold. With all the hype surrounding the release, a guest spot on Jay-Z’s Blueprint 3 tour and a gig fronting the official house band of the 2009 MTV VMAs, many believed the Interscope rapper would have a bigger first week.

XXLMag.com spoke with Wale’s manager, Daniel Weisman, who claims that the label under shipped the disc to stores, much like what happened to fellow “Class of 09″ MC Asher Roth. ”Wale’s the type of artist who is bigger than the metrics (radio) say he is,” Weisman said. “That puts the label in a tough position in terms of physical distribution and because of twitter we are able to hear direct feedback from the fans about the problems they had actually finding the CD. But 64% of Wale’s sales came from digital outlets which makes sense for Wale. It’s a testament to Interscope and their confidence in Wale’s brand that they put the record out without a big single.”

The other only new hip-hop release to enter the charts this week was Wyclef Jean’s new collaborative effort with DJ Drama. The rap vet’s street CD, From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion, debuted at no. 171, selling 3,300 discs. Drama—who executive-produced the extended EP—described it to to XXL as “Wyclef’s first all-around hip-hop project since The Carnival.”

Continuing his dominance at the head of the rap pack is Brooklyn rap giant Jay-Z. Despite falling one spot to no. 16 BP3 managed to ring up 33,000 more albums to his overall sales figure this go-round. After 10 weeks, the rapper’s latest opus has sold 1,271,200 units.

Four spots down at no. 20 is the Black Eyed Peas. The E.N.D. pulled in another 28,200 in sales this week, making its total tally stand at 1,356, 200.

Next week look for 50 Cent’s long-awaited fourth solo album Before I Self Destruct to make a huge impact on The Billboard 200. —Elan Mancini

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 18, 2009 - Buzzing from the success of their "Jazz in the Diamond District" soundtrack release, "Red Carpet," which debuted as "New Joint of the Day" on BET's, "106 & Park" and peaked at 89th on the Urban Mainstream Billboard chart, D.C.'s premiere rap group, Likeblood, has been tapped to open for Raekwon on his highly anticipated "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2" tour. The tour, which kicked off on November 6th in Providence, RI, hits all of the major markets including Los Angeles (at the House of Blues), New York (at Irving Plaza) and D.C., the group's hometown (at the 9:30 Club.) With this national exposure, Likeblood has switched gears to focus on promoting their upcoming album, "#dabiness"(pronounced "the business"). Exploding onto mixshow lists across the country with the album's first single, "Money Over Here," featuring Bobby V. (co-produced by Atlanta production team, The Council, and Soblu Music Group pr oducer, Maurice "Mo Digga" Randolph), "Money Over Here" is setting itself up to be the "work hard, play hard" anthem of the winter. For a complete list of tour dates, visit www.likeblood.com.

Already garnering approval from DJ's across the world, Likeblood has been steadily expanding their fan base and familiarizing the industry, both nationally and internationally, with the Likeblood brand. "The music game, especially now, isn't about a quick fix. It's about quality and consistency; that is really our focus right now," says Dre Strong. "We just want to prove that we can stand with the best and make classic albums. The only way we can do that is to put in the work and just keep grindin'," says Mbea Da 1. That quote encapsulates the message of "Money Over Here," which speaks to the continuous grind necessary to foster and maintain success.

"#Dabiness," (which is slated for an early 2010 release) speaks on the groups journey as up-and-coming artists, and includes the pound sign ("#") before the title to brand it as a Twitter "trending top," which has proven to be an important element of one's visibility in the music business (i.e. "dabiness"). Drawing on past experiences, which include features in Hip-Hop Weekly and in Urb Magazine's, "Next 1000 to Blow," and opening up for artists such as LeToya Luckett, Rich Girl, Ace Hood, New Boyz, Dorrough, Bobby V, Rich Boy, Lil Scrappy and Bun B, Likeblood gives listeners a taste of the path that they have traveled so far and what it has taken for them to make it in "#dabiness."

Best described as a creative outlet for clothing and artistic expression. It was established in 2005.Our initial vision began with the customization of sneakers and one-of-a kind art illustrations. The apparel company emerged when these unique graphics were transferred to clothing.Painted tees and customized graphic illustrations became the cornerstone of the Stocks & Bonds brand.

Jonathan D. Nelson's

Stocks and Bonds apparel was one of the featured designers at the 2009 Prince George Community College Fashion Show.

All the tshirts featured in the fashion show are exclusive Stocks & Bonds pieces. The fashion show was in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Soooooooooo we been doing a lot of FREE ish and thats cool but we gotta reconstruct a few things. IF YOUR EVENT IS FREE, WE WILL POST FOR FREE! IF YOUR EVENT COST, YOU HAVE TO PAY WHATEVER THE COVER IS TO GET IT POSTED ON THE SITE. THATS ONLY FARE. WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE TRAFFIC OUR SITE GETS SOOOOOOO......YEAH!

IF YOUR MUSIC FREE WE WILL CONTINUE TO POST FOR FREE ETC.........IF YOUR STUFF IS FREE WE WILL POST FOR FREE BUT IF YOUR SELLING STUFF OR HAVING A EVENT THATS CHARGING WELL ITS CALLED "ADVERTISING" AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT AND A FAIR PRICE IS WHATEVER YOUR COVER IS!